Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C January 27, 2019

First Reading
Nehemiah 8:2-4a,5-6,8-10
Ezra reads from the book of the Law and interprets it for all to understand.

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 19:8,9,10,15
A song in praise of the Law of the Lord

Second Reading
1 Corinthians 12:12-30 (or shorter form, 1 Corinthians 12:12-14,27)
Paul explains that all were baptized into the one body of Christ.

Gospel Reading
Luke 1:1-4; 4:14-21
In the synagogue at Nazareth, Jesus reads aloud from the scroll of the
prophet Isaiah and announces that this Scripture is now fulfilled.

Since many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the events
that have been fulfilled among us,
just as those who were eyewitnesses from the beginning
and ministers of the word have handed them down to us,
I too have decided,
after investigating everything accurately anew,
to write it down in an orderly sequence for you,
most excellent Theophilus,
so that you may realize the certainty of the teachings
you have received.

Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit,
and news of him spread throughout the whole region.
He taught in their synagogues and was praised by all.

He came to Nazareth, where he had grown up,
and went according to his custom
into the synagogue on the sabbath day.
He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah.
He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring glad tidings to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.
Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down,
and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him.
He said to them,
"Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing."


Background on the Gospel Reading

Today's Gospel reading combines two separate passages taken from the
Gospel of Luke. First we hear the opening verses where Luke establishes
the purpose of his Gospel. His style is typical of polished Greek and
Roman literature. In this passage, we learn that Luke may have written to
a specific person, Theophilus; but the word Theophilus may also be a
general reference, functioning as the phrase "Dear Reader" might in
contemporary writing. In Greek, the word Theophilus translates as "lover
of God."

Today's Gospel reading then skips several chapters in which one would find
the Infancy Narratives, Jesus' baptism by John, the temptations Jesus
faced in the desert, and the beginning of Jesus' public ministry. In
chapter four of Luke's Gospel, we hear that Jesus is in his hometown of
Nazareth, attending the synagogue on the Sabbath, which is said to be his
custom. In this account, we find another important clue that Jesus lived
as a faithful, observant Jew. We will continue to read from Luke's Gospel
in sequence for the next two Sundays.

As Jesus stands in the synagogue, he reads from the scroll handed to him;
it contains the words of the prophet Isaiah. At this early moment in his
ministry, Jesus announces his mission in continuity with Israel's
prophetic tradition. This reading from Isaiah defines Jesus' ministry. We
will find more evidence of this as we continue to read from Luke's Gospel
throughout the year. Jesus' ministry will include bringing glad tidings to
the poor, liberty to captives, healing to the sick, freedom to the
oppressed, and proclaiming a year acceptable to the Lord.

Through this text from Isaiah, Jesus announces God's salvation. The "year
acceptable to the Lord" is a reference to the Jewish tradition of Sabbath
years and jubilee. The Sabbath year was observed every seventh year. It
was a year of rest when land was left fallow and food stores were to be
shared equally with all. A year of Jubilee was celebrated every fiftieth
year, the conclusion of seven cycles of Sabbath years. It was a year of
renewal in which debts were forgiven and slaves were freed.

This tradition of Jubilee is the framework for God's promise of salvation.
And yet in Jesus, something new begins. Jesus not only announces God's
salvation, he brings this salvation about in his person. Jesus is Yahweh's
Anointed One, filled with the Spirit of God. The Kingdom of God is now at
hand. It is made present in Jesus, in his life, death, and Resurrection.
Jesus will send the Holy Spirit so that the Kingdom of God can be
fulfilled.

The Holy Spirit is Jesus' gift to the Church. The Holy Spirit enables the
Church to continue the mission of Jesus. When we do what Jesus did—bring
glad tidings to the poor, liberty to captives, healing to the sick, and
freedom to the oppressed—we serve the Kingdom of God.


Family Connection

Jesus was the one sent by God to bring salvation to the world. Jesus
announced that mission using the framework we hear in today's Gospel from
the prophet Isaiah: glad tidings will be brought to the poor, liberty to
captives, recovery of sight for the blind, and freedom for the oppressed.
Jesus inaugurates the Kingdom of God in his person—through his life,
death, and Resurrection. We are charged with the task of continuing the
mission that Jesus began. Jesus set the framework for all of us when he
announced his ministry in today's Gospel. Jesus also gave us the helper we
would need to enable us to participate in his mission. The Holy Spirit has
been given to us so that we, the Church, might serve the Kingdom of God.

Gather with your family and suggest that they try to picture the vision
that Jesus describes using the words of the prophet Isaiah as you read
today's Gospel, Luke 1:1-4; 4:14-21.Think about your neighborhood, your
community. What are the situations and who are the people who most need to
see this vision fulfilled? What steps would be necessary to make the
vision a reality for them? Make a family commitment to pray for the
Kingdom of God and to take a particular action that will address a need
you see in your community. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you by praying the
Prayer to the Holy Spirit.


Sources: Loyola Press; Sunday Readings